US expands sanctions against Russian companies
The United States government has expanded the list of Russian companies that are subject to economic sanctions in connection with Moscow’s aggressive policy towards Ukraine. The new list of companies was published by the U.S. Department of Commerce, which posted it on the website of the government's Federal Register bulletin.
This list featured 81 enterprises that were connected with the energy sector in one way or another or were involved in various projects in the annexed Crimea. The document also includes two companies registered in India and Hong Kong. The sanctions will affect 51 companies controlled by Gazprom, as well as organizations associated with the construction of the Kerch Strait Bridge.
The new bridge across the Kerch Strait is intended to connect the territory of the Crimea to Russia and to allow the transportation of goods, bypassing the territory of Ukraine, who has demanded the return of the annexed territory.
Among these companies are the St. Petersburg Institute Giprostroymost who designed the bridge project, the general contractor SGM-bridge and another contractor named Mostotrest.
The list also includes companies such as Angstrem M, Angstrem, Angstrem-T, Foreign Trade Association Radioexport, Perm Scientific-Industrial Instrument Making Company, Micron, JSC R&D Micran, R&D Association Granat, Technopole and Zvezdochka shipyard.
Gazprom-associated companies were introduced to the compulsory licensing of all shipments related to the exploration and production of oil and gas in deep waters of the Arctic shelf. As indicated in the document, "presumption of denial" will be in effect during consideration of such license applications in the US.